Ch. 4 MAN 3600

________ refers to a distinctive tradition or institution strongly associated with a particular society. A) Cultural metaphor B) Totem C) Moiety D) Cultural pluralism

A) Cultural metaphor

What has been the impact of technology and the Internet on global culture? A) Cultures have become increasingly similar due to shared experiences. B) The distance between geographically separated cultures are growing steadily. C) Since the last decade, homogeneous cultures have grown in number. D) People in today's developing nations are no more vulnerable to culture shock than before

A) Cultures have become increasingly similar due to shared experiences.

37) Which of the following is true with regard to culture? A) It captures how the members of the society live. B) It is absolute. C) It does not define the collective behavior of each society. D) It is inherited.

A) It captures how the members of the society live.

Which of the following countries exhibit a high-context culture? A) Japan B) Germany C) The United States of America D) Switzerland

A) Japan

Which of the following refers to the extent to which people can tolerate risk in their lives? A) uncertainty avoidance B) long-term versus short-term orientation C) power distance D) individualism

A) uncertainty avoidance

Which of the following, if true, strengthens the conclusion of the above passage? A) In China, companies belonging to deal-oriented cultures have been the most successful. B) American companies best thrive in cultures that are deal-oriented. C) For the Chinese, relationship is less important than business deals. D) The management of Grande is characterized by a host country mind-set.

B) American companies best thrive in cultures that are deal-oriented.

________ is a major factor in the emergence of a common worldwide culture. A) The ethnocentric orientation of today's managers B) Globalization C) The global preference for relationship-oriented cultures D) Marginalization

B) Globalization

Which of the following types of assumptions is the cause of most problems between business managers and foreign employees? A) geocentric assumptions B) ethnocentric assumptions C) polycentric assumptions D) religious assumptions

B) ethnocentric assumptions

34) Using one's own culture as a standard for judging other cultures is known as ________. A) anthropocentric orientation B) ethnocentric orientation C) geocentric orientation D) polycentric orientation

B) ethnocentric orientation

Managers can achieve effective cross-cultural interaction by ________. A) resisting cultural homogeneity B) keeping an open mind and being inquisitive C) rushing into conclusions about other's behaviors D) using business jargons to facilitate communication

B) keeping an open mind and being inquisitive

Which of the following is a cultural barrier inherent to service firms that internationalize via FDI? A) Service firms are unable to infiltrate international markets due to language issues. B) The source of a firm's funding determines the location of its international subsidiaries. C) A firm's corporate culture is overly influenced by its national culture. D) Firms that internationalize via FDI usually make large spending cuts on advertising campaigns.

C) A firm's corporate culture is overly influenced by its national culture.

The culture of which of the following countries has a close conversational distance? A) Russia B) Sweden C) Brazil D) United States

C) Brazil

Which of the following, if true, best supports WFC's decision of entering the Swedish market? A) The demand for fish & chips has grown steadily in the U.K. over the past few years. B) In Sweden, restaurants selling fish & chips are no more popular than those that do not. C) By boosting worldwide demand, globalization has incentivized business expansion. D) Globalization encourages creativity and diversity in the workplace

C) By boosting worldwide demand, globalization has incentivized business expansion.

________ refers to the learned, shared, and enduring orientation patterns in a society. A) Ethnicity B) Heritage C) Culture D) Race

C) Culture

A cultural metaphor is a generalization about a group of people that may or may not be factual.

FALSE

An ethnocentric orientation positively impacts the ability of managers to manage business projects and new business practices abroad.

FALSE

Businesses based in societies characterized by high uncertainty avoidance encourage managers to take risks and make quick decisions.

FALSE

Communications, information, and transportation technologies have decreased people's ability to learn about and connect with unfamiliar cultures.

FALSE

Cross-cultural proficiency cannot be obtained from reading books or befriending natives in one's own country.

FALSE

Cross-cultural risk is often intensified by managers with geocentric tendencies

FALSE

Culture refers to the inherited attitudinal traits of an individual.

FALSE

English is the most common primary language in the world.

FALSE

Ethnocentric orientation refers to a host-country mind-set in which the manager develops a strong affinity with the country in which she or he conducts business.

FALSE

In collectivist societies, competition for resources is the norm, and those who compete best are rewarded financially.

FALSE

In companies with decentralized organizational structure, power is concentrated at the regional or corporate headquarters.

FALSE

In societies with low uncertainty-avoidance, companies emphasize stable careers and produce many rules to regulate worker actions and minimize ambiguity.

FALSE

In the advanced economies, firms that engage in services such as lodging and retailing account for a much lesser share of FDI than firms that manufacture products

FALSE

Japan and China are examples of low-context cultures.

FALSE

The greater the cultural distance between the service provider and its customers, the less likely there will be cognitive and communication gaps.

FALSE

Business jargon unique to a culture can impede communication.

TRUE

Company logos, trademarks, national flags, and historical monuments are considered symbolic productions.

TRUE

Cross-cultural proficiency is characterized by four key personality traits: tolerance for ambiguity, perceptiveness, valuing personal relationships, and flexibility and adaptability.

TRUE

Cultural differences necessitate adapting marketing activities to suit the specific needs of target markets.

TRUE

Cultural intelligence focuses on specific capabilities important for high-quality personal relationships and effectiveness in culturally diverse settings and work groups.

TRUE

Cultural values and attitudes can be transmitted through a variety of sources including parents, teachers, friends, government leaders, movies, television, and the Internet.

TRUE

Ethnocentric assumptions lead to poor business strategies in both planning and execution.

TRUE

Globalization brings a wider menu of choices to consumers and increases diversity within society.

TRUE

In cultures with a monochronic view of time, people view time as linear, managers make commitments, set deadlines, and adhere to a strict schedule of meetings and activities

TRUE

In deal-oriented cultures, managers focus on the task at hand and prefer getting down to business.

TRUE

Language has both verbal and nonverbal characteristics.

TRUE

Language is a vital dimension that both reflects, and is reflected by, cultural differences.

TRUE

Most companies have a distinctive set of norms, values, and modes of behavior that distinguish them from other organizations.

TRUE

Technological advances are a key determinant of culture and cultural change.

TRUE

Nonverbal communication belongs to the deep cultural makeup that we are unaware of.

TRUE`

After the first training session, a number of the Michigan employees expressed frustration that the Indian employees lacked technical knowledge because none of them asked questions or offered answers. Which of the following would be the best way for Hank to handle the situation? A) Remind the American employees that the Indians may be showing respect by remaining silent. B) Order the Indian employees to interact more during the session. C) Host a traditional American barbeque so the American and Indian employees can get acquainted. D) Ignore the complaints of the American employees and continue the training sessions as planned.

A) Remind the American employees that the Indians may be showing respect by remaining silent.

Which of the following best supports the selection of Sato over Aoki? A) Sato is familiar with both Tag-Mart operations as well as the local customs in Japan. B) Sato is no more skilled in employee training techniques than Aoki. C) Sato is clearly more relationship-oriented than Aoki. D) Sato is likely to discourage homogenization of cultures.

A) Sato is familiar with both Tag-Mart operations as well as the local customs in Japan

Polycentric orientation refers to ________. A) a host-country mind-set in which the manager develops a strong affinity with the country in which she or he conducts business B) the use of one's own culture as the standard for judging other cultures C) a collectivist mind-set, which emphasizes conformity, duty, prescribed roles, and sacrifice for the greater good D) the tendency to rely on elaborate verbal explanations, putting much emphasis on spoken words

A) a host-country mind-set in which the manager develops a strong affinity with the country in which she or he conducts business

Cultural intelligence is defined as ________. A) a person's ability to function effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity B) the method of analyzing awkward situations in cross-cultural encounters by developing objectivity and empathy for other points of view C) the measurement of the inequalities in power that exist among people D) the information gathered by local firms about those entering foreign markets

A) a person's ability to function effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity

Managers with a geocentric view of the world ________. A) are generally better at understanding and accommodating similarities and differences among cultures B) ritually avoid analyzing awkward situations in cross-cultural encounters C) have a strong preference for ambiguity D) tend to view other cultures through the lens of his/her own culture

A) are generally better at understanding and accommodating similarities and differences among cultures

Firms with high power distance are most likely to be characterized by ________. A) concentrated power among executives and little autonomy for subordinates B) an equal distribution of power among executives, managers, and lower-level employees C) minimal gap between the powerful and the weak D) a highly flexible work environment

A) concentrated power among executives and little autonomy for subordinates

With regard to the iceberg concept of culture, ________ is the most deeply embedded. A) conversational patterns B) cooking C) courtship practices D) literature

A) conversational patterns

The purpose of material productions in a society is to ________. A) enable people to cope with their environments B) help unite people C) distinguish the dominant culture from minority cultures D) segregate people based on race and ethnicity

A) enable people to cope with their environments

35) As part of opening manufacturing units abroad, a U.S. apparel firm decided to send its apparel production coordinator Chris to Bangladesh. Chris is distressed that people don't come to meetings on time and finds it disrespectful when his team members stand too close to him. Chris may trigger a cross-cultural risk by a(n) ________. A) ethnocentric orientation B) anthropocentric orientation C) polycentric orientation D) geocentric orientation

A) ethnocentric orientation

In a deal-oriented culture, managers ________. A) focus on the task at hand and prefer getting down to business B) hold rigid attitudes, usually unfavorable and usually aimed at particular groups of people C) emphasize affiliations with people D) seek to build trust and rapport and get to know the other party in business interactions

A) focus on the task at hand and prefer getting down to business

Feminine cultures tend to emphasize ________. A) interdependence among people B) accumulation of wealth C) ambition D) competitiveness

A) interdependence among people

The subjective dimension of culture includes ________. A) manners and customs B) architecture of a society C) tools D) infrastructure unique to a society

A) manners and customs

In polychronic cultures, ________. A) members are easily distracted and are inclined to do many tasks at once B) people view time as linear and punctuality as a virtue C) managers make commitments, set deadlines, and adhere to a strict schedule of meetings and activities D) managers and investors are impatient and want quick returns

A) members are easily distracted and are inclined to do many tasks at once

Ashok, one of the Indian employees, asks Hank if the weekend training session could be rescheduled because it is a Hindu festival day. What will be the most likely outcome if Hank agrees to Ashok's request? A) Instances of absenteeism will become more pervasive among Indian employees. B) Hank will develop a relationship of trust and understanding with the Indian employees. C) Hank's decision will create divisiveness between the American and Indian employees leading to irreparable damages. D) Ashok will replace Hank as manager after six months when Hank returns to the United States

B) Hank will develop a relationship of trust and understanding with the Indian employees.

Which of the following would be the most important to evaluate before WFC internationalizes its operations? A) Has the increased presence of British culture in North America popularized fish & chips in that region? B) Has global homogenization increased the likelihood that Swedes will try food from a different culture? C) To what extent does globalization facilitate creativity and innovation? D) Is increased global communications a truly positive aspect of globalization?

B) Has global homogenization increased the likelihood that Swedes will try food from a different culture?

44) Which of the following is characteristic of collectivist societies? A) In collectivist societies, each person tends to focus on his or her own self-interest. B) In collectivist societies, compromise and conformity help maintain group harmony. C) In collectivist societies, ties among people are relatively loose. D) In collectivist societies, those who compete best are rewarded financially

B) In collectivist societies, compromise and conformity help maintain group harmony.

) ________ are letters, figures, colors, or other characters that communicate a meaning. A) Rituals B) Symbols C) Norms D) Customs

B) Symbols

Which of the following can be inferred from the above passage? A) The Chinese culture is more likely than not to be deal-oriented. B) The Chinese culture is more likely than not to be relationship-oriented. C) The American culture is more likely than not to be relationship-oriented. D) The American culture is less likely to take an impersonal approach to business.

B) The Chinese culture is more likely than not to be relationship-oriented.

Which of the following is necessary for WFC's management to evaluate in deciding whether it should open a restaurant in Sweden? A) How successful has WFC been in Britain? B) What style of food do Swedes typically enjoy eating? C) Are Swedish firms typically averse to expand their businesses abroad? D) Are British firms typically averse to expand their businesses abroad?

B) What style of food do Swedes typically enjoy eating?

Acculturation is defined as the process of ________. A) segregating ethnic minorities by distinct groups B) adjusting and adapting to a culture other than one's own C) learning the behavioral patterns and rules of one's own society D) forcing minority cultures to adopt the values of the dominant culture

B) adjusting and adapting to a culture other than one's own

Advertising themes often convey unfavorable and embarrassing interpretations. This is most likely because ________. A) popular slogans used in international advertising do not use idiomatic expressions B) advertising themes often lose their original meaning in translation C) language is rarely subtle D) colloquial expressions are more likely than not to puzzle native speakers

B) advertising themes often lose their original meaning in translation

The objective dimension of culture includes ________. A) values and attitudes B) architecture of a society C) perceptions of time D) religion

B) architecture of a society

In international business, successful managers ________. A) adhere to a self-reference criterion B) are empathetic to cultural differences C) overly emphasize the importance of business jargons in facilitating effective cross-cultural communication D) ritually avoid analyzing awkward situations in cross-cultural encounters

B) are empathetic to cultural differences

Prejudices in a culture ________. A) represent the symbolic, material, and creative productions unique to a society B) are rigidly held attitudes, usually unfavorable, and usually aimed at particular groups of people C) guide the development of our attitudes and preferences D) represent a person's judgment about what is important and what is not

B) are rigidly held attitudes, usually unfavorable, and usually aimed at particular groups of people

Low-context cultures tend to ________. A) emphasize nonverbal messages B) conduct negotiations as efficiently as possible C) view communication as a means to promote smooth, harmonious relationships D) prefer an indirect and polite face-saving style of communication

B) conduct negotiations as efficiently as possible

36) Which of the following situations is an example of geocentric orientation? A) Marsha, CEO of QST Solutions, believes that top level executives at her company should be Americans to avoid any communication gaps. B) The Gram Group of retail stores decided to open branches in China and focus on changing their policies to suit the Chinese population to maximize profits. C) Derek, the VP of Banner Technologies, wants managers from the firm's India office to visit the U.S. branch to provide training to American officials visiting India. D) Chill&Break Inc., an American global coffee company, is used to judging other cultures by the standards of its own culture.

C) Derek, the VP of Banner Technologies, wants managers from the firm's India office to visit the U.S. branch to provide training to American officials visiting India.

Which of the following managers portrays high uncertainty avoidance? A) Greg manages the market development fund team for a leading computer manufacturing firm. He is entrepreneurial and makes decisions quickly under tough situations. B) James is the business head of marketing in a leading automobile manufacturing company. He coaches his team members to become accustomed to risk and organizational change. C) Henry is the managing editor at Paes publications. He emphasizes slow decision making, and is prone to investigate the nature and potential outcomes of several options. D) David manages the technical team at TR Solutions. He is open to different opinions from team members and is not threatened by differing opinions

C) Henry is the managing editor at Paes publications. He emphasizes slow decision making, and is prone to investigate the nature and potential outcomes of several options.

Which of the following is true about globalization's effect on culture? A) It segregates people on the basis of race and ethnicity. B) It decreases diversity within a society by blocking the free flow of cultural ideas. C) It liberates people culturally by undermining the ideological conformity of nationalism. D) It decreases the choices available to local people by making their countries culturally poor

C) It liberates people culturally by undermining the ideological conformity of nationalism.

Which of the following is true about language? A) Language does not entail facial expressions and gestures. B) National languages, dialects, and translation facilitate straightforward communication. C) Language has both verbal and nonverbal characteristics. D) Business jargons are common across cultures

C) Language has both verbal and nonverbal characteristics.

Which of the following is true about low-context cultures? A) People belonging to low-context cultures do not prefer explicit communications. B) Low-context cultures emphasize an indirect and polite face-saving style of communication. C) Low-context cultures rely on elaborate verbal explanations, putting much emphasis on spoken words. D) People belonging to low-context cultures view communication as a means to promote smooth, harmonious relationships.

C) Low-context cultures rely on elaborate verbal explanations, putting much emphasis on spoken words.

Which of the following is most important for Tag-Mart's top management to determine while making a choice between Sato and Aoki as the new store manager? A) How many shoppers are expected at the Tokyo Tag-Mart grand opening sale? B) How many locally owned stores will Tokyo Tag-Mart compete against? C) Would customers at the Tokyo Tag-Mart prefer strong customer service or a U.S.-style shopping experience? D) What is the average age and annual income of Tokyo Tag-Mart shoppers?

C) Would customers at the Tokyo Tag-Mart prefer strong customer service or a U.S.-style shopping experience?

High power-distance countries are characterized by ________. A) organizations that grant a high degree of autonomy to lower-level employees B) a strong desire to minimize gaps between the powerful and the weak C) a relative indifference toward social inequalities D) a relative equality in terms of income and power

C) a relative indifference toward social inequalities

Jordan is employed in an American investment firm and is currently working with some Japanese clients on a new project. He uses a lot of hand gestures during meetings which his clients find very distracting and rude. This has also led to many misunderstandings between Jordan and his Japanese clients in the recent past. Which of the following best describes such a situation? A) risk aversion B) organizational anarchy C) cross-cultural risk D) acculturation

C) cross-cultural risk

Business dealings in low-context cultures are characterized by ________. A) a high degree of sensitivity to the context B) a high degree of mutual respect C) efficient negotiations D) complex rituals

C) efficient negotiations

Values in a culture ________. A) represent the symbolic, material, and creative productions unique to a society B) are rigidly held attitudes, usually unfavorable and usually aimed at particular groups of people C) represent a person's judgments about what is good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable, important or unimportant, and normal or abnormal D) are similar to opinions but are often unconsciously held and may not have a rational basis

C) represent a person's judgments about what is good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable, important or unimportant, and normal or abnormal

Socialization is defined as ________. A) the process of segregating people into different racial groups in a society B) the process of adjusting and adapting to a culture other than one's own C) the process of learning the rules and behavioral patterns appropriate to one's given society D) a situation or event in which a cultural misunderstanding puts some human value at stake

C) the process of learning the rules and behavioral patterns appropriate to one's given society

Self-reference criterion is ________. A) the tendency to assume that all people from one culture are the same B) the tendency to understand a culture without regard to country boundaries C) the propensity to view other cultures through the lens of one's own culture D) the propensity to understand culture as an inherited trait

C) the propensity to view other cultures through the lens of one's own culture

Which of the following countries is an example of a strongly collectivist society? A) Ireland B) Canada C) Australia D) China

D) China

In much of the world, ________ tends to dominate cross-national commerce. A) Mandarin B) Arabic C) German D) English

D) English

Which of the following situations is an example of the effect of globalization on culture? A) Burqas and hijabs are commonly worn by women in Islamic societies. B) Hinduism is a major religion in India. C) Pizzas sold in the U.S. are often piled high with meat. D) English tends to dominate cross-cultural commerce

D) English tends to dominate cross-cultural commerce

Which of the following, if true, most supports the decision to operate the Tokyo store in a manner similar to Tag-Mart stores in the U.S.? A) Customer service is of utmost importance to local shoppers. B) Finding efficient and knowledgeable employees in Tokyo is difficult. C) Other supercenter stores in Tokyo have gone out of business in the last year. D) Local shoppers desire both efficiency and low prices.

D) Local shoppers desire both efficiency and low prices.

An "emic" analysis of culture ________. A) aims to be scientific and culturally neutral B) describes culture from the perspective of an outside observer C) compares the culture to others and explains it in unbiased, objective terms D) describes behavior in terms meaningful to a person functioning within the culture

D) describes behavior in terms meaningful to a person functioning within the culture

Culture is not ________. A) about beliefs and values of society B) relative C) a collective phenomenon D) inherited

D) inherited

An idiom ________. A) refers to the objective analysis of a situation B) refers to the perception about someone or something that may or may not be true C) is a highly ambiguous rhetoric device used in high-context cultures D) is an expression whose symbolic meaning is different from its literal meaning

D) is an expression whose symbolic meaning is different from its literal meaning

Titania is a country characterized by a high-context culture. This implies that ________. A) the people of Titania tend to conduct negotiations as efficiently as possible B) the people of Titania tend to use legalistic contracts to conclude agreements C) business is primarily deal-oriented in Titania D) personal relations and goodwill are valued in Titania

D) personal relations and goodwill are valued in Titania

Cross-cultural proficiency is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) perceptiveness B) flexibility and adaptability C) valuing personal relationships D) preference for ambiguity

D) preference for ambiguity